Ostella, or, The faction of love and beauty reconcil'd by I.T., Gent.

Ostella questioning of me concern∣ing Clarinda, a former Mistress.

TWere sin to lie, Ostella, and to thee the greatest piece of Wilfull Treachery That Wickednesse can gloze: That she whom You do stile Clarinda, I did own is true. So may the Babe suck Venom from the Tet; and so the Dew may blast the Violet. Such was my Innocence abus'd by her: the Wisest in their Loves do soonest erre. But I, that hardly could judg black from white, mistook my Day, and wrapt my self in Night. The little Bees, unskil'd, so may in flight, mistake the Rose, and suck the Aconite: Shee Courted me with such destroying tears as th' Crocodile, or the curst Hinbane wears; And like the Spider, wove a curious Net of her entici••ng Hair my Heart to get;

A Bird of Paradice wes thought to be, but she a Bird of Rapine prov'd to me. In th' Summer of my Fortunes she did sing much like the Swallow; but the Winters sting Poys'ning my Hopes; she, like the Licorish Fly, follows the next Sweet 'til sh' as suckt it dry. The Morning dew so leaves the Violet, when the Suns prouder Beams exhaleth it: And this decreed Truth I've bought with smart, that there's most danger where appears most Art. These were my Childish Errors, for which I have oft distill'd my Sorrow from my eye The blind Man so in darkness walks, and yet discerning not his want, nev'r questions it: But You have form'd me new, and giv'n a sight to my dark Judgement, I know now the Light: And I will prize it Dearest as my Soul, Which thou hast partly Cleans'd, once sadly foul. As by the Suns infusive heat, the Earth receives the Virtue, to give Gold a Birth, Out of its sordid Womb. So from your eys my Heart receives the Joys of Paradise: Which I was losing. Am refined now. by your pure fires: rejoycing Angels owe You thanks for my reclaiming which Create new Joys with Them, which bear a lasting Date. Thus I'm become thy Convert (Dear) and will pay all the Good I've forfeited for Ill. Clarinda's Name shall like the Shaddow be forgot ere Night; Thine to Eternity Shall last. Oh I could Curse that wretched Pen that wrote her mine, the common Stool for Men, May all those Books as fast as bought, have flame: may she as they Consume, Burn with the same;

That so th' insection of her name that fils the earth with loosenesse and the Air with ills, May die with her, and from her Grave shall rise, as from a Load of Dung, Maggots and flies. Pardon (Ostella) this unusuall rage wrongs hid, stirr'd up, in Man new Wars do wage. Goodness perverted troubles a Calm State, and Love abus'd grows desperate with hate▪ Look on me Dear with that compassionate Sense as you would on betrayed innocence, Cloath'd in a Robe of Penitence from your eye gratious Ostella let my pardon flie. Confession and Contrition may win from Heaven forgiveness for the greatest sin. Your Saint like temper doth my faith perswade; Your Mercy can Out-vy the faults I made. Deceive not then my confidence I am your votury now; and in my Heart a Flame Burns with Religious Duty, and when I Extinguish it may I unpitti'd die. The fervent Light shall sooner leave the World, (which through the darkest Roab that ore it's hurl'd By night shoots forth some Splendor,) and the Air, the holy Vestals breath in frequent Prayer, Become infectious Saints from Heaven shall fall into Perdition. All now righteous shall Become Apostats▪ and this Globe receive by its own weight its Tomb and Nature leave To Propogate her kind ev'r my Faith wasteth for know Ostella Love 'bove Nature lasteth,